The Rip Curl team is thrilled to announce that the European Final of the GromSearch series will be held in Anglet, France, on September 15th, and 16th, right before the Rip Curl Pro Anglet QS 3000. This highly anticipated event follows an exciting series of competitions across Europe, where young surfers showcased their exceptional skills and competitive spirit.
Over the past three years, Rip Curl has consistently provided a professional platform for young surfers to compete, enhancing the future of the sport. These events are not only enjoyable and social occasions for kids under 16, but they also serve a greater purpose. Rip Curl is dedicated to training these young “grommets” for competitive surfing while promoting healthy lifestyles and habits. This dual focus on fun and development helps foster a new generation of surfers who are both skilled in the sport and committed to overall well-being.
The Oakley grand prize will also return this year, offering the exciting opportunity for a competitor to win a trip to Peniche during the Meo Rip Curl Pro Portugal. The prize includes a training session with former pro-surfer and now Oakley head coach Tom Whitaker and a meeting with the Oakley team rider, providing an invaluable experience for the winners to enhance their surfing skills under expert guidance.
“On behalf of Oakley, it has been another successful partnership with the Rip Curl GromSearch Series in Europe, targeting and engaging with the youth, which is a key strategy to ensure great brand health amongst Gen Z! We look forward to another successful Finals event,” says Seth Hulley, Oakley Sport Marketing Manager.
The whole GromSearch team, partners, and followers are looking forward to seeing these finals unfold!
European qualifiers recap
U12 girls
- Sienna Rodrigues (pt)
- Nahia Calder (sp)
- Ellie Hickie (uk)
- Capucine Goni (fr)
- Catarina Congiu (it)
U12 boys
- Fynn Crato (pt)
- Stefano Mandozzi (sp)
- Harvey Waters (uk)
- Albin Gourio (fr)
- Rocco Rigliaco (it)
U14 girls
- Suri Rodrigues (pt)
- Ane Loreiro (sp)
- Lila Skinner (uk)
- Rose Calvez (fr)
- Miliani Simon (tahiti)
U14 boys
- Martinho De Barros (pt)
- Alvaro Casanova (sp)
- Noah Cerne (uk)
- Ethan Fernandez (fr)
- Tristan Straez (ge)
U16 girls
- Miriam Juliao (pt)
- Carla Morera delavall (sp)
- Sunny Ingram (uk)
- Clémence Schorsch (fr)
- Chiara Cuppone (it)
U16 boys
- Jaime Veselko (pt)
- Dylan Donegan (sp)
- Lukas Skinner (uk)
- Estaban Coucoulis-Lapierre (fr)
- Jorre Claeys (be)
**Announcement of Online Wildcard Winners**
The results of the Online GromSearch are in! Kyllian Guerrin and Alys Barton have selected their favorite #GromSearch online videos based on technique, drive, and style. These talented young surfers have earned wildcards to compete in the European Final.
“I can’t wait to see them all out there competing for their ticket to the International Final!” says Yann Martin, Rip Curl team manager. “I watched them surf at the last ISA Junior in El Salvador, and they were incredible. The level is high, and they can definitely hold their own against the other regions.”
Here are the names of the GromSearch Online competition winners:
**U12 Girls:** Caterina Congiu from Italy
**U12 Boys:** Rocco Rigliaco from Italy
**U14 Girls:** Miliani Simon from Tahiti
**U14 Boys:** Tristan Straetz from Germany
**U16 Girls:** Chiara Cuppone from Italy
**U16 Boys:** Jorre Claeys from Belgium
**Global International Finals Announcement**
The excitement doesn’t end in Europe. We are thrilled to announce that the Global International Finals of the GromSearch will be held on “The Search” somewhere in Indonesia in October 2024. This prestigious event will bring together the best young surfers from around the world to compete in one of the most iconic surfing destinations. Stay tuned for more details!
Rip Curl is dedicated to fostering the next generation of surfing talent and looks forward to an incredible series of events culminating in the ultimate global showdown in Indonesia.
Spain became two times Junior European Team Champions at the weekend, beating France by a whisker (35 points), leaving host nation Portugal in third and Italy and England came fifth.
The morning started with the repechages finals, which were especially good for Portugal, that qualified Maria Salgado and Erica Máximo at the under 18 girls surfing final. Other surfers qualifying for the finals were Spain’s Sol Borelli and France’s Naia Monte (under 16 girls), Matias Canhoto (Portugal) and Hans Odriozola (Spain) at the under 18 boys, Arthur Randell (England) and Raony Portillo (France) at the Longboard under 18 boys, Lola Bleakley (England) and Mia Ramakers (Belgium) at the Longboard under 18 girls division and finally Jaime Veselko (Portugal) and Esteban Coucoulis (France) in the under 16 boys.
Then the big finals, and the champions:
Tya Zebrowsky took gold for France on the under 16 girls,
Italian Cami Ginger, 12, surfed a final for the ages in the under 18 longboard, with an incredible total score of 18.17 (9,87 and 8.30). Englands Lola Bleakley finishing third.
Portugal’s Francisco Freitas clinched the gold in a very competitive under 18 Longboard final, Engands Arthur Randall finishing fourth.
Dylan Donegan surfed incredibly and added the European under 16 title to the ISA under 16 World title, beating English phenom Lukas Skinner, in a repeat of the world championship final,
Annette Etxabarri took revenge on Tya Zebrowski and won for Spain over France on the girl’s under 18 and,
Italy’s Leonardo Apreda beat everyone for the under 18 boys title.
Spain’s coaches, Ruben Lopez, celebrated the win: “It’s an historical moment. To win this Eurosurf Junior face to face with such powerful teams like Portugal, France, England, Italy, Netherlands…we must be happy and proud. Years ago, we had logistical problems and such and nowadays we were able to solve them all. Surfing is growing in Spain, we have several Olympics, a world championship title with Dylan [Donegan] and the future is bright.”
Final Team Rankings:
1- Spain 8936 pts
2- France 8901
3- Portugal 8029
4- Italy 7372
5- England 7163
6- Netherlands 6038
7- Israel 5629
8- Germany 5590
9- Ireland 5318
10- Wales 5215
11- Scotland 4785
12- Channel Islands 4670
13- Belgium 4333
14- Poland 3535
15- Denmark 3438
16- Czech Republic 2133
17- Sweden 1713
Team England finished in fifth place Lukas Skinner, Lola Bleakley, and Arthur Randell bringing home silver, bronze and copper medals
Team England secures impressive fifth place in tight competition at the European Surfing Junior Championship 2024!!
Lukas Skinner, Lola Bleakley, and Arthur Randell showcase exceptional talent, bringing home silver, bronze and copper medals and contributing to England’s strong performance in a fiercely contested event.
The dryrobe Team England Juniors started solid from day one, with all English surfers demonstrating incredible momentum and determination throughout the competition.
Lukas Skinner put on a spectacular show in the U16 category, dominating throughout most of the event. His exceptional performance included scoring the highest wave (9.00) on day two with a flawless air reverse and achieving a perfect 10 on day three with impressive rail surfing. In a thrilling final, Skinner narrowly missed gold, placing 2nd behind Dylan Donnovan by a mere 0.57 points. This close contest was a continuation of their rivalry from the ISA World Games in El Salvador earlier this year, showcasing Skinner’s growing prowess on the international stage.
Lola Bleakley demonstrated remarkable skill and perseverance, securing a well-deserved bronze medal in her category. Her performance throughout the event, particularly in the longboard division, was nothing short of impressive.
Arthur Randell, who entered the competition aiming to reclaim his victory from two years ago in the U18 Longboard category, fought hard and secured a commendable fourth place in his final heat.
Team England faced challenges throughout days 3, 4, and 5 with long days, persistent fog, and less-than-ideal wave conditions. The final day saw deteriorating waves, testing the surfers’ adaptability and skill. Despite these obstacles, our team showed true English grit and determination.
The exceptional performances of the entire team have placed Team England in a strong fifth place overall in an incredibly tight competition. This achievement, just shy of the podium, is a testament to the dedication, skill, and teamwork displayed by our young surfers, and highlights the increasingly competitive nature of European junior surfing.
A huge credit goes to our coaches and support crew at the Euros: Jamie Wride, Beau Bromham, Ben Goosey, Ben Skinner, Daisy Lambert and Charlotte Mulley. Their hard work and guidance were instrumental in our team’s success. We also extend our gratitude to dryrobe, the junior team’s main partner for years, whose support continues to be crucial in our consistently strong performances.
Thanks to the European Surfing Federation and Ocean Spirit for organizing such a fantastic event, and to our wider coaching team at home for their efforts in preparing the squad.
While English surfers are not present at this year’s Olympic Games, the outstanding performances of Skinner, Bleakley, and Randell against tough European competition reinforce our confidence that our athletes will be strong contenders for the 2028 Olympic Games in LA.
This result demonstrates that Team England is consistently performing at the highest level of European junior surfing. With such a narrow margin separating the top teams, we’re proud of our fifth place finish and excited about the future of English surfing on the international stage.
The true face of Teahupo’o began to show itself today with solid 10-foot sets unloading the full power of the Pacific Ocean onto the sharp, shallow reef. It was an unbelievable display, featuring the world’s best surfers providing a show like no other on sporting’s biggest stage, the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
A completed Round 3 decided Quarterfinalists on the men’s side, with competition called off due to deteriorating conditions before the women could hit the water.
The biggest names in men’s surfing didn’t hold back in pursuit of an Olympic Gold Medal. Brazil’s Gabriel Medina and France’s Joan Duru took top honors. Medina set a new record for the highest single wave score in Olympic history, a 9.90, and Duru lodged the highest heat total, 18.13. Duru’s record landed just 0.03 ahead of João Chianca’s 18.10. Chianca claimed victory in a tight battle against Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) that was one for the history books.
Underdog victories from Peru’s Alonso Correa and Japan’s Reo Inaba kept medal hopes alive for their nations, while those of Mexico, Morocco, South Africa and USA were dashed.
2023 WSL World Title runner-up Ethan Ewing (AUS) tamed Teahupo’o less than a year after breaking his back in its waters. Ewing’s teammate Jack Robinson (AUS) remained undefeated against two-time WSL World Champion John John Florence, and Florence’s teammate Griffin Colapinto went down to local Tahitian Kauli Vaast.
Long anticipated rematch provides redemption for Gabriel Medina
2024 ISA World Surfing Games Gold Medalist Gabriel Medina (BRA) stayed hungry from the start of a highly anticipated rematch. Having narrowly lost to Tokyo 2020 Silver Medalist Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) in the Semifinals of Tokyo 2020, the 30-year-old was not going to let another chance at an Olympic medal slip through his fingers.
“Tokyo was a hard one to deal with because I was so close to the medal,” Medina said.
Taking off straight underneath an unbelievably thick lip, Medina, the three-time WSL World Champion, was swallowed by the beast before being spat out with all 10 of his fingers high in the air. Two judges allotted him the perfect score of a 10, three slightly less, and the final score came through as a 9.90, the highest in Olympic surfing history, topping Igarashi’s own record of 9.33 from Tokyo 2020. Igarashi never found rhythm in the heat and Medina moved one step closer to his goal.
“The wave was just so perfect,” Medina said. “I thought I was gone, and I was like, ‘Oh, I need to try.’ The wind was holding me a little bit and then I just went for it and the wave was a 10, so I’m stoked to get a 9.90. I get comfortable when the waves are good. As long as it’s like this, it’s good for everyone and whoever gets the best wave wins. Today was a dreamy day for surfing. I never imagined that we could get waves like this in the Olympics.”
The cool calm of Duru reigns supreme in battle of the ISA Gold Medalists
2023 ISA World Surfing Games Gold Medalist Alan Cleland Jr (MEX) was chomping at the bit to take on the conditions today, and he didn’t hold back. The 22-year-old once again delivered a highly impressive performance that included an 8.17, but the cool calm of France’s Joan Duru took him to another level.
Duru, the 2021 ISA World Surfing Games Gold Medalist, picked off two of the most impressive barrels of the event, earning scores in the 9-point range for each. The resulting 18.13 heat total is both the highest of the event so far, and the highest in Olympic Surfing history. It’s a fitting finish for the 35-year-old who will be retiring from competitive surfing after his appearance in Paris 2024.
“The focus is to get deep and have the best barrel of your life in the heat and make it two times,” Duru said. “I’ve had a really long career and I’m so stoked to be here now. It’s what I was waiting for to finish like I wanted. I’m so stoked to be here in the best wave in the world. We are just getting barrelled, having fun with the pressure and just enjoying, a lot, the moment.”
Boukhiam battles Chianca in extremely high-scoring affair that celebrates the best of surfing
2024 ISA World Surfing Games Silver Medalist Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) took on Brazilian charger João Chianca in an extremely tight battle that celebrated the best of surfing. The two went blow-for-blow, exchanging 8 and 9-point rides, both surfers taking off behind the peak and driving through heavy, west-bowl Teahupo’o barrels. You couldn’t wipe the stoke off the pair’s faces as they shared stories of their excellent waves with each other in the lineup.
After multiple lead changes, Chianca took a wave with 5 minutes remaining to turn the heat for a final time, his 18.10 heat total earning the win just 0.30 ahead of Boukhiam’s 17.80, which included a 9.70 single-wave score. Though upset to not advance, the 30-year-old Moroccan couldn’t help but appreciate the moment.
“Honestly, out there, I forget everything, in these types of waves, like, wow this is it, you know,” Boukhiam said. “Amazing heat, amazing barrels; big barrels against one of the best guys in the world and I’m fighting in it. We weren’t that serious, we were like, ok, let’s have fun bro. Since the beginning, since the training sessions, we’re like, imagine if it’s big and we have a heat together. And I was like, oh this is it, look at this. It’s pumping and we’re trading back-to-back waves. At the end I was like, please let’s just hope for one more exchange, even though he was needing a score, at least one exchange and may the best man win, but only one wave came.”
Two of the all-time great barrel riders, Robinson and Florence, push the limits in tense battle
In the fourth head-to-head match of their careers, two-time WSL World Champion John John Florence (USA) and Jack Robinson (AUS) met the earliest ever in competition. As two of the greatest barrel-riders of all time, fireworks were expected from their Round 3 heat. With the eyes of the world on them, the two tried to push the limits of what was possible, taking multiple waves from deep on the reef.
It took over half the heat for either surfer to post over a 2-point ride as both suffered multiple heavy wipeouts attempting to push through long, barreling sections. Robinson managed to break away with a 7.17, before finding a backup 5.83, which he immediately improved on for a 6.77. It wasn’t until the final 5-minutes that Florence was able to break out of the 1-point range, earning a 6.50, but he was unable to improve, allowing Robinson to remain undefeated against him.
“We have a lot of history together, it’s growing and I’m sure there’s going to be more to come,” Robinson said. “I always knew it was going to be a bit of a battle, you know, it’s not going to be easy between both of us and we’re going to push each other. I’m just happy that we’re both good after that heat.”
When men’s Quarterfinals take place, four surfers who qualified through the ISA World Surfing Games will face four surfers who qualified through the WSL Championship Tour. Three of those heats will feature teammates facing each other in their quest for Gold Medals.
ISA President, Fernando Aguerre, said:
“The first days were amazing, but today was beyond that. Massive eight to 10-foot sets with all the power of the South Pacific were the perfect liquid stage we all hoped for.”
The next call to determine when competition will run will take place on July 30 at 6:15 a.m. TAHT.
